Swine flu cases in Bahrain rise to six

TWO more swine flu cases have been recorded in Bahrain this week, bringing the total to six.

The GDN yesterday obtained the Health Ministry’s Weekly Feedback Reports circulated to health professionals around the country, which showed that five cases of the H1N1 virus were registered in just one week.

On Tuesday health officials announced that three patients, who tested positive for the virus, were recovering at home after being kept under observation in health centres.

However, an Ethiopian woman, who became the first person to contract the virus this year, remains in critical condition at Salmaniya Medical Complex.

Complications

The 41-year-old walked into the Accident and Emergency department on February 3 with high fever, urinary tract infection and other complications.

Samples tested at the public health laboratory later showed she was infected with swine flu and is being kept in isolation.

Health professionals have been advised to refer cases of the flu to SMC for testing.

Twenty-one swine flu cases were confirmed in Bahrain last year following 582 tests at the public health laboratory.

One fatality was recorded – a 41-year-old Indian man who died after contracting the virus while on holiday in Kerala.